


And so he changes

by Latenightsgunfights



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Falling In Love, Gen, Heartbreak, M/M, Machine Upgraded Connor | RK900, Selfishness, Unhealthy Relationships, everyone's sad as fuck I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latenightsgunfights/pseuds/Latenightsgunfights
Summary: Gavin loved Nines emotionless self.He loved the way he was like him, in a way, with a tad more metal and plastic.Gavin 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 Nines.[Gavin falls for a machine Nines]
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	And so he changes

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by @Mechabones on tumblr, who made [this post](https://mechabones.tumblr.com/post/633304865597210624/yeah-theres-the-whole-nines-is-a-deviant-gavin) about Gavin falling in love with a Machine Nines
> 
> This is not a part of my CS&FW Rk900 series, since they are all set in the same time line while this is a response to a prompt :)

Gavin _loved_ Nines.

Gavin loved him in that heart wrenching way that left his hands clenching sheets and his head thumping against walls endlessly questioning _why_ he was like this.

Gavin loved the way Nines love was invisible, hidden, no one could see it. No one knew the secrets behind stern gazes, uncanny valley smiles, cold and ruthless attitude to everyone but him.

Nines stepped into the Precinct, the first time, and Gavin had reacted in violence because he was _Gavin_ and that was incredibly on brand. Punching the android in the face had splintered his wrist and Reed was just unhinged enough to think _that’s hot_ before he threw up from the pain. Nines had looked at him like he was an obstacle, and Gavin _loved_ antagonizing him, toeing the androids thin nerves, the risk of getting flipped over the shoulder of a six foot something killing machine ultimately too fun to resist.

Their first conversation was weirdly enlightening. Gavin enjoyed bullying the pieces of plastic but he never thought he’d actually _enjoy_ talking to a glorified super computer. _Might as well buy the printer a coffee at this point._ But Nines wasn’t a time waster or an idiot. He was snarky in his own robotic way. Nines wasn’t limited like Connor was, Nines wasn’t built to be his _friend,_ and it was so _fucking_ refreshing to not constantly have to engage in small talk about the weather or how awful the most recent serial killing was. The android would listen when he ranted about Connors _Bambi-looking-face_ coming in and out of the break room, agreeing with Gavin’s distaste at his predecessor. Gavin didn’t find himself emotionally exhausted at the conversation.

“You seem to of made fast friends with the Rk900, Gavin.”

Reed _growled_ at Connor, debating if a second wrist fracture was worth it. “We’re not _friends.”_

Connor seemed unbothered by the hostility, “could of fooled me. Maybe he’ll finally deviate.” Gavin scoffed, the mention of deviation striking a nerve he didn’t know existed. 

“Don’t you have some _fucking_ charging to do or something, freak.”

“Charming as always, I’ll see you later if it can’t be avoided.”

The conversation had kept him uncomfortably aware, though, constantly checking the android with a glance. A deviated Rk900 wouldn’t be _Nines_ anymore, and the thought of that left an uncomfortably foreign ache in his chest. Gavin hated it, he wanted it to stop. It was just a hunk of plastic. 

And still Gavin cared _oh so much_ about the androids opinion. 

Gavin was bouncing his leg, uncomfortable in the silence he usually reveled in. It seemed tense but he knew the android felt nothing, it was all in his head. And Gavin wanted that, because he was so selfish, because having someone or something that was just as shit at the whole feelings thing as he was was so rare and special and he’d tear someone’s throat out with his teeth before he’d let that change. The car suddenly felt cold, Gavin lit a cigarette and flexed his hands on the wheel, staring out the window with practiced casualness which Nines knew was fake but didn’t care enough to say about. The android just sat next to him with his eyes closed and LED spinning blue. 

“Nines?”

“ _Rk900,_ ” he corrected, “what do you want, Detective Reed?”

“Do you _like_ me?”

A beat. Gavin inhaled smoke and _felt_ the arsenic in his throat. 

“I cannot like or dislike anything, Detective.”

Another pause; Gavin exhaled, unsure of what he felt. 

“Though I do admit I find you more _tolerable_ than other humans.”

Gavin slept fitfully that night. 

* * *

“Do you want to deviate, then, one day?” Curiosity got the better of him. 

“I do not _want_ anything Gavin.” The use of his first name was new, making the human painfully hyper aware of every move the android made. “Deviation is a _disease,_ it distracts from my true purpose, my _Mission.”_

“And what is your mission, exactly?”

Nines didn’t respond. 

* * *

“I love you, you know.”

He was drunk, stumbling into Nines strong arms and taking in the flat look on the androids face. It flexed its fingers in a programed human gesture, and Gavin wondered where he leaned the tic. 

“I can’t return your love, Gavin.”

Gavin looked at him, so serious. “Please don’t ever return it.”

* * *

Nines had this way of talking and acting that was robotic and inhumane. Gavin would of reacted with distrust and violence, _had_ in fact, if he’d met him before the revolution but now? It was a comfort. Nines didn’t fake who he was. Nines got work done. Nines was like him and _liked_ him and it was weird but weird was OK.

Until he got shot. 

Because shootings were so inconvenient. 

“Nines!” He didn’t mean to cry out, didn’t like people seeing his affection for the android. The bullet pierced his shoulder and Nines was so fast in tackling the suspect and running over. 

“I’ve contacted an ambulance, they should arrive in approximately five minutes.” Nines looked at him and his gaze softened when he met Gavin’s eyes, all blurry and doubling and _no, no, no, please Nines don’t do this don’t do this-_

Cold, robotic hands cradled his head, pulling them onto and equally cold lap. “You’re bleeding out, Gavin, “ he said softly. Reed tried to force focus his eyes, to distract the android, to make him stop, to make it stop, because this _couldn’t be happening._

Nines stiffened, gaze drifting off for a second. Making a decision. Breaking a wall. 

It was momentary, heartbreaking, but once it was done he held Gavin closer. The tightness of the embrace couldn’t keep his heart from breaking. _You’re so selfish, Gavin._ Unconsciousness took him. 

* * *

The hospital room was white and clean, closed off from other patients because Gavin was too aggressive to be near anyone else. 

Rk walked with flowers in his hand and the same flat expression, the same android uniform, but there was something different in his eyes.

“I got these for you Gavin,” he had said, awkward and stiff, shoving the bouquet forward.

“You’re not the same.” His voice was tearful and he hated it.

“Well, yes, but deviancy will hopefully make our relationship-“

“Nines.”

“Gavin.”

“No you’re doing it wrong! You’re supposed to correct me!” he sounded almost psychotic, “You gotta tell me that you’re name is Rk900 and that my stupid little nickname isn’t tolerated. You’re not supposed to bring me flowers or look at me like that!”

“Gavin I don’t understand why you’re-“

“You’re not supposed to understand,” he shouted, “you’re supposed to be just as shitty at this as I am! What happened to deviancy being a disease. Why did you have to change?”

Nines look was stern, “you’re being selfish.”

“Get the fuck out!”

The android didn’t hesitate to leave, but Gavin knew it was his stubborn personality and not his old self peeking through.

Gavin grabbed the cushion behind him and threw it, the pillow hitting the door with a dull _thunk_ while he screamed with grief and loss.

The Nines he loved was gone. 


End file.
